Declines in binge drinking, increase in marijuana use.

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MONDAY, September 24, 2012 (MedPage Today) — The number of young people using prescription drugs for non-medical purposes in the last month dropped 14 percent from previous year's data, the latest survey shows.

The number of people ages 18 to 25 who abused prescription drugs fell from 2 million in 2010 to 1.7 million in 2011, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, released Monday.

"Today's findings prove yet again that we are not powerless against the problem of substance abuse in America," Gil Kerlikowske, director of the White House's National Drug Control Policy, said in a statement.

"I am heartened by this progress because it shows that our prescription drug abuse action plan is working to make America healthier and safer. We still have more work to do, but we remain steadfast in our commitment to reversing this epidemic through a balanced approach."

The annual survey of roughly 70,000 Americans ages 12 and older is conducted by the Department on Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). An updated analysis from this spring revealed that most people who misuse prescription painkillers received their drugs from friends and family.

"These findings show that national efforts to address the problem of prescription drug misuse may be beginning to bear fruit and we must continue to apply this pressure to drive down this and other forms of substance use," said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde.

The latest report also found declines in other substance abuse categories. Underage drinking and binge drinking continued to drop from 2002. Alcohol use among those 12 to 20 years old dropped to 25.1 percent last year from 28.8 percent in 2002.
vBinge drinking also dropped, from 19.3 percent in 2002 to 15.8 percent last year. And underage tobacco use fell from 15.2 percent in 2002 to 10.0 percent last year.

But the survey wasn't all rosy for drug prevention efforts. Illicit drug use saw no improvement:

Illicit drug use among those 12 and older remained steady at 8.7 percent

Marijuana remains the most common illicit drug, with 7 percent of Americans being current users. The drugs' use saw increases in children, young adults, and older adults from 2007 to last year

Heroin use among those 12 and older increased last year from 373,000 in 2007 to 620,000 in 2011

The survey also shows continued disparity between those who need substance abuse treatment in 2011 (21.6 million) and those who received it in a specialized treatment setting (2.3 million).

Under President Obama, the federal government has tried to invest more in the treatment of substance abuse rather than spending more effort to prosecute offenders.

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